Work support for centerless grinder



Sept. 20, 1960 LIVINGSTON 2,952,953

WORK SUPPORT FOR CENTERLESS GRINDER Filed June 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Leo Livingston Attorney- Sept. 20, 1960 Filed June 22, 1959 L. LiVlNGSTON WORK SUPPORT FOR CENTERLESS GRINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C] C] INVENTOR.

'-- Leo Livingsfon F i g. 4 4

' Attorney Unite States atent [nil WDRK SUPPORT FOR CENTERLESS GRINDER Leo Livingston, 2217 Ewell Road, Belmont, Calif.

Filed June 22, 1959, Ser. No. 821,799

4 Claims. (Cl. 51238) This invention relates to work supports for centerless grinding machines and particularly to supports for outboard disposition to support the ends of long work pieces.

An object of the present invention is to provide an outboard support for one or both ends of a long workpiece in a centerless grinding machine, the support being subsidiary to and functioning in conjunction with the inboard support of the machine, to provide easy handling and very accurate grinding of the work.

.It is another object of the invention to provide a work support for a centerless grinder of the character above, which is adaptable for use with and mounting on the several makes and types of centerless grinding machines presently available, and which, when so installed, may be quickly and easily adjusted by the operator to afiord a micrometric truing in of the work for grinding with very high precision.

A further object of the invention is to provide a work support of the character described which is composed of a few simple and rugged parts capable of giving a long and useful life.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings (two sheets):

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a work support for centerless grinders constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the support in assembled state.

Figure 3 is a partly exploded perspective view of another portion of the support of the invention.

Figure 4 is a side elevation view on a reduced scale of the work-input side of a centerless grinding machine with the support of the present invention applied thereto.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, partly cut-away view, on an enlarged scale, of the machine and the support substantially on the plane of lines 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view partly in section of a portion of the machine and support and is taken along lines 6-6 of Figure 5.

The work support of the invention is shown above in Figure 1 and in Figures 46 it is shown mounted on a typical centerless grinding machine 11 for support of a workpiece 12, it being understood that the workpiece 12 is primarily supported for rotation by a rotating regulating wheel 13 of the machine and the upper edge 16 of a work-supporting blade 14 (Figure 6), the regulating wheel being slightly axially inclined to drive the workpiece from the input side (Figure 4) to the output side of the machine 11. Also shown (Figures 5-6) are conventional guide brackets 17 and 18 mounted on bases 19 and 20 of the machine 11 to help guide the ends of the workpiece into and out of the machine, and a conventional abrasive grinding wheel 21 mounted on a sliding carriage 22.

The work support for centerless grinder of the present invention consists briefly of a work supporting unit 23; means 24 for mounting the unit 23 on a centerless grinding machine 11 in an outboard position with respect to and in general alignment with the upper edge 16 of the work supporting blade 14 and the adjacent periphery of the regulating wheel 13 of the machine; the unit 23 includes a supporting member 26 (see particularly Figures 1 and 2) and a pairof jaw members 27 and 28 mounted for individual relative movement thereon; adjacent faces of the jaw members being bevelled from an intermediate vertical plane to provide upwardly diverging V-shaped work supporting surfaces 29 and 30; and micrometer adjustment means 31 connecting the supporting member 26 and each of the jaw members 27 and 28 to aiford micrometric lateral and vertical displacement of the points of support provided by the work supporting surfaces 29 and 30 for displacing the points of support into precise alignment with the lines of support provided by the top edge 16 of the work supporting blade 14 and the periphery of the regulating wheel 13.

Preferably, and as here shown, the jaw members 27 and 28 are mounted in side-by-side relation and are retained for individual vertical movement relative to the supporting member 26 by the micrometer adjustment means 31. It will be seen that, since the surfaces 29 and 30 form a V-shaped, upwardly diverging cradle, the relative vertical movement of the surfaces 29 and 30 provide a full desired range of transverse and vertical displacement of the work.

Further and important advantages are obtained in use of a pair of work supporting units of the character described on the opposite sides of the centerless grinding machine as here shown, work supporting unit 23 is mounted on the input side of the machine 11, and a second unit 41 is mounted on the opposite (output) side of the machine to perform a similar supporting function for the workpiece as it is discharged therefrom. The work supporting unit 41 has a mounting means 42, a supporting member 43, and a pair of jaw members 44 and 45 similarly mounted side-by-side for individual vertical movement on the member 43, the upper faces of the jaw members being similarly bevelled to form work supporting surfaces 46 and 47. A similar micrometer adjustment means 48 is also provided for controlling the individual vertical movements of the jaw members, to afford micrometric lateral and vertical displacement of the points of support provided by the surfaces 46 and 47 relative to the cylindrical workpiece.

Mounting means 24 and 42 here include mounting brackets 56 and 57, respectively, connected to the respective work supporting units 23 and 41 and each having a base member 58, 59 and a vertical arm 61, 62 mounted on the respective base member for adjustable movement parallel with the work supporting blade 14 of the machine for adjustably spacing the work supporting units '23 and 41 for the ends of the blade 14. Base member 58 is here fashioned as a bolt for convenient threading into an existing or specially provided mounting opening in the base 19 of the machine. A plurality of spacers 66 cofunction with the mounting arm 61 and vertical slot 63 therein, as depicted in Figure 1, to provide accurate spacing of the unit 23 away from the end of the blade 14, so as to accommodate various lengths of work. By loosening the bolt 58, the operator may raise or lower the unit 23 to provide the rough or general adjustment of the work support. Bracket 57 is of alternative design, .in which the base member 59 is formed asa cy- 3 lindrical shaft 71 fastened to the machine base 20, and the arm 62 has a vertical slot 72 and terminates at the bottom in a collar and set-screw assembly 73 fitting the shaft 71. Supporting member 43 has a downwardly extending plate 74 fastened for relative vertical androtational movement to arm 62 by a bolt 76 inserted through the slot 72 and threaded into the plate 74. Itwill be seen that the brackets 56 and 57 each have some degree of horizontal or rotational adjustment around the bolt 64 and shaft 71, and are capable of adjustment lengthwise of the shaft and bolt as well.

Referring now to the work supporting units 23 and 41, the jaw members 27, 28, 44 and '45 are preferably keyed to theirrespective supporting members 26 and 43 for individual vertical sliding motion. As here shown, vertically-elongated raised key portions 77 and 78 are formed on each of the supporting members 26 and 43, and matching vertical channels 81 and 82 are formed in the respective jaw members'to provide the keying structure. Locking means 83, 84, 86 and 87 are provided for securing the jaw members in adjusted position, and here consist of bolts mounted through elongated vertical slots 88, 89, 90 and 91 in the respective jaw 'members and threaded into the respective supporting members. The micrometer adjusting means 31 and 48 here include manually engageable screws 92, 93, 94 and e 95 connecting each of the supporting members 26 and 43 and 'the respective jaw members 27, 28, 44 and 45 for controlling the individual vertical movements of the jaw members. In particular, the screws 92-95 are threaded upwardly through extensions 96 and 97 of the supporting members 26 and 43 and bearing against the bottoms of the respective jaw members.

As shown in Figure 3, the work supporting surfaces 46 and 47 (and the surfaces 29 and 30 as well) may be and a sample length of work is sent through on a first 7 pilot pass or run.

Inaccuracies of alignment are now readily discernible by examining the sample work moreover; and as an important feature of the present invention, the telltale defects in the work sample can be readily translated into required adjustment of the individual jaw members, so that on subsequent passes of the sample workpiece and adjustment of the jaw members, very high precision grinding of the work can be obtained." The telltale signs on the work and the correlating correcting adjustment are soon mastered by a skilled workman. Normally the workpiece is measured with a micrometer at both ends and at its middle to detect the presence of differences in diameter. If the going-in end of the work is too large, jaw 27 is to be lowered. If the going-in end of the work i is too small, jaw 28 is to be lowered. If the going-out end of the work is too large, jaw 44 is tobe lowered. If

' the going out end of the work is too small, jaw 45 is to be lowered. Other. telltale signs include spiral markings on the workpiece and the presence of flats on the coming out end, and these likewise may be co-related into required adjustment of the jaw members and of the blade 14 and regulating wheel.

. comprising, a work supporting unit, means for mounting faced with replaceable bearing facings 98 and 99 se- 7 cured by fasteners 160 and 101'.

By way of further explanation, centerless grinders of the general type to which the present invention relates are made in various sizes to accommodate work of various lengths and dimensions and with varying grinding capacities. Perhaps the most common machine in present use is known as the #2 Cincinnati, which is generally illustrated in the drawings. This machine will handle work of various lengths, from 'a fraction of an inch in length to 2 ft., 3 ft., 4 ft., and on up, 12 ft. not being uncommon. The work supports of the present invention should be mounted, in so far as practical to support the work, particularly at the outgoing end of the machine, in proper alignment, until the'work is fed through 'by the v regulating wheel to its final grinding position. At this point the work will be supported by the internal blade 14 and the outbound work support 23. 'The grinding wheels used in the machine will vary in widths up to' about 8 inches, and the machine as illustrated will furnish a further outboard support for about another 4 inches, so that the support of the present invention has an important function in handling lengths in excess of about 8 inches, that is, in the type and size of machine above described. In a' somewhat similar manner, the work support 23 at the input side of the machine is spaced in an outboard position to support properly the work going into the machine and for ease of feeding. In use, the work support of the invention isfirst brought into very close alignment with the blade 14 and regulating wheel 13, as described above, by adjustment of the brackets 56 and 57 (the blade and regulating wheelhaving been already perfectly aligned and dressed forthe particular workpiece to be ground). This first alignment is about 'asrclose as the operator can see and feel with a length of a sample workpiece spanning 'the upper edge 16 of the blade and the outboard work supports' The micrometer means 31 and 48 are then used to make the best possible first-approximation adjustment said unit on a centerless grinding machine in an outboard position with respect to and in general alignment with the upper edge of the work supporting blade and the adjacent periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine, said unit including a supporting member and a pair of jaw members mounted for individual relative movement thereon, adjacent faces of said jaw members being bevelled from an intermediate vertical plane to provide upwardly diverging V-shaped work supporting surfaces, and micrometer adjustment means connecting said supporting member and each of said jaw members to afford micrometric lateral andvertical displacement of the points of support provided by the worksupporting surfaces for displacing said points of support into precise alignment with the lines of support provided by the top edge of the work supporting blade and the periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine.

2. A work support for a centerlessgrinding machine comprising, a work supporting unit, means for mounting said unit on a centerless grinding machine in an outboard position with respect to and in general alignment with the upper edge of the work supporting blade and the adjacent periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine, said unit including a supporting member and a pair of jaw members mounted side-by-side for individual vertical movement thereon, the upper faces of said jaw members being bevelled from an intermediate vertical plane to provide upwardly diverging V-shaped work i supporting surfaces, and micrometer adjustment @means connecting said supporting member and each of said jaw 'members for controlling said individual vertical movements thereof and to afford micrometric lateral and vertical displacement of the points of support provided by the work supporting surfaces for displacing said points of support into precise alignment with the lines of support provided by the top edge of the work supporting blade and the periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine.

3. A work support for a centerless grinding machine comprising, a pair of work supporting units, means for mounting said units on opposite sides of a centerless grinding machine in outboard positions with respect to and in general alignment with the upper edge of the work supporting blade and the adjacent periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine, each of said units including a supporting member and a pair of jaw members mounted side-by-side for individual vertical movement thereon,

' adjacent faces of each pair of jaw members being bevelled from an i termediate vertical plane to provide upwardly diverging V-shaped work supporting surfaces, and micrometer adjustment means connecting each of said supporting members and each of the respective jaw members for controlling said individual vertical movements thereof and to afiord micrometric lateral and vertical displacement of the points of support provided by the work supporting surfaces for displacing said points of support into precise alignment with the lines of support provided by the top edge of the work supporting blade and the periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine.

4. A work support for a centerless grinding machine comprising, a pair of Work supporting units, mounting brackets connected to said units for mounting said units on a centerless grinding machine in outboard positions with respect to and in general alignment with the upper edge of the work supporting blade and the adjacent periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine, each of said mounting brackets having a base member and a bracket member mounted thereon for adjustable movement parallel with the work supporting blade of said machine for adjustably spacing said work supporting units from the contiguous ends of said blade, each of said work supporting units including a supporting member and a pair of jaw members mounted side-by-side and keyed to said supporting member for individual vertical sliding movement thereon, and locking means connecting each of said supporting members and the respective jaws for setting the vertical positions of said jaws thereon, the upper faces of each pair of jaw members being bevelled from an intermediate vertical plane to provide upwardly diverging V-shaped work supporting surfaces, manually engageable screws connecting each of said supporting members and the respective jaw members for controlling the individual vertical movements thereof and to afford micrometric lateral and vertical displacement of the points of support provided by the work supporting surfaces for displacing said points of support into precise alignment with the lines of support provided by the top edge of the work supporting blade and the periphery of the regulating wheel of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,402 Horberg Apr. 27, 1948 2,575,346 Julian Nov. 20, 1951 2,743,555 Irvine May 1, 1956 2,775,077 Whittenberg Dec. 25, 1956 

